In the game of billiards, all types of tables are covered with billiard cloth. The cloth is sometimes called a felt. However, the cloth is generally a woven wool or wool/nylon blend called baize. This cloth is used to cover the billiard tables. In some instances where competition cloth was desired a higher quality of billiard cloth was used either 100% worsted wool or a 90% wool and 10% nylon blend for the balls to roll across the billiard table with less friction. The cloth of the billiard table was traditionally green with colors such as red and blue also being used.
The billiard cloth stretched across the billiard table collects a significant amount of chalk dust from billiard players during a game. Players often chalk the end of their cue stick after each shot to promote just the right amount of friction and spin on the cue ball when striking the cue ball to control the cue ball during a shot. As the cue stick is chalked several times during the course of the game and even after each shot by some players, the players often chalk the cue stick around the playing area. Many players will chalk their cue stick over the billiard table itself as they walk around the table to line up a shot.
The player typically does not give it a second thought about the accumulation of chalk dust when chalking the cue stick over the table. However, the professional player will notice the chalk dust kick up on the table when making a shot. The professional player believe that the chalk dust might interfere with the progression of the struck cue ball and the billiard ball struck by the cue ball during a shot when both balls travel over the surface of the billiard cloth that includes an accumulation of chalk dust within the billiard cloth. Thus, the accumulation of chalk dust can interfere with the normal play on a billiard table cloth having an accumulation of the chalk dust built up within the billiard cloth. Billiard cloths or baize that generally consists of a wool and/or polyester blend with materials are susceptible to a chalk dust buildup.
Moreover, a great amount of chalk dust is created as the cue stick is repeatedly chalked. Since most chalk is generally a bright color like blue or green chalk, the chalk that accumulates on the surface of the billiard cloth may stain the billiard pockets on the table or even cause premature failure of the billiard cloth itself.
The buildup of particles from chalk on the cloth as applied to the tip of the cue stick before every shot to increase the tip's friction coefficient will affect the ball roll across the table and require frequent cloth cleaning to reduce the amount of chalk on the billiard table.
Thus, there is a need for a device or tool which enables billiard chalk dust to be conveniently removed easily from the baize without the inconvenience, mess and potential damage to the baize from brushes, vacuum cleaners and other existing tools that wear out the fabric of the cloth or drive the chalk dust deeper into the weave of a billiard cloth material chosen for the particular billiard table and its use in a general public billiard room versus a tournament competition. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages.